Surely with all of our expertise on engineering and materials we can build a house that doesn't need insurance. It would need to be:
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Level adjustable
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Prefabricated or build on site in sections and put together to be 'broken down and relocatable in sections
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tough and light or flexible enough to resist lateral forces I-beam base with steel beams and bracing and light composite material walls for insulation perhaps clad with linear wetherboard - cement based.
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Incombustable
Sure this might cost more (or would it) but think of the savings in insurance premiums - Hey! and then we could get on with residential rebuild. Maybe the land wouldn't be insured in this scenario - mind you a lot of land in CHCH has been proven to be good and is low risk for insurers.
This must be doable - especially for kiwis. There is some reading online about structures that resist earthquakes but not a lot of indestructable houses. Sure, your kids will chuck a ball through the glass window but you can pay for that yourself from all the money you don't need to pay in insurance - and take a holiday somewhere nice! :}
letsgetonwithit